Emergency plans to ship water into Sussex from surrounding counties were being drawn up today in an attempt to avert a looming drought.

Experts from the Environment Agency were meeting seven water companies which between them cover the South East to discuss measures to ease the water shortage caused by the driest year on record.

Reservoirs which are normally full at this time of year are drying up. Underground water tables are well below their autumn average.

A spokeswoman for Southern Water said: "We are not tankering water into Sussex at present but it will be discussed today as a possible contingency plan."

Pumping more water from the ground is also among the measures being considered.

Experts said a flash storm this morning would make no difference to the long-term shortage.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "One day of rain is not enough. We need a long, wet winter to make up for the summer.

"We need heavy rainfall to recharge supplies. If we don't we could have the same problem next summer."

Water companies are pleading with customers to start conserving water.

The spokeswoman added: "If people use simple common sense, even turning off the tap while brushing their teeth, it could help to alleviate the problem."

The heatwave attracted thousands of tourists to the Sussex coast and the county's tourist industry reported its busiest summer in 20 years.

But the resulting increase in water use added to the pressures while the few rain showers since September have failed to replenish the county's reserves.

Met Office figures show that South-East England had the driest August and September since 1873, with a total of 27mm of rain - just 23 per cent of the average 119mm.

The county has also experienced the driest weather on record during the last ten months.

Spokesman Nigel Bolton said there was usually 575mm of rain during the first ten months of the year but there had only been 346mm.

He said: "It has been very, very dry indeed. The last time it was as bad as this was in 1921. The impact was not so bad then because people were not using as much water."

Rainfall has been below average for seven out of the past eight months. Last month, the recorded rainfall was 11mm against an average of 75mm.

Southern Water's largest reservoir, Bewl Water on the Kent-Sussex boundary, which can hold 31,000 million litres, is only half full, compared with an average for this time of year of about 80 per cent.

Ardingly Reservoir, which serves the Mid Sussex area, is just 30 per cent full, compared with 91 per cent at the same time last year.

Arlington Reservoir, which is operated by South East Water and which serves Eastbourne and Hailsham, is 33 per cent full, compared with 54 per cent last year.

In Hastings, Darwell reservoir is 33 per cent full, half of what it would normally contain, and Powdermill is 46 per cent, compared with 80 per cent.